Fishing bait



Dec. 20, 1949 H. H. RAUH FISHING BAIT Filed May 16, 1946 M79 /M L 27444-- %7 ,4 rra/P/ns X5 Patented Dec. 20, 1949 OFFICE FISHING BAIT Herbert H. Rauh, Columbus, Ohio Application May 16, 1946, Serial No. 670,190

Claims. (Cl. 43-4228) This invention relates to artificial baits or lures of the type used for catching fish. More particularly, the improvements herein set forth relate to that type of bait conventionally referred to as a spoon for the reason that the structure of the body resembles the body portion of a teaspoon. In the past, baits have been designed which were of this form and which have utilized various means for concealing the hook and for attracting the fish. Also effortsha've been made to simulate all the difierent types, of marine life upon which fish are known to feed.

It has been the object of the present inventor.

to provide a lure or bait which, although artificial, will more than ever simulate marine life and thus will be more attractive to the fish. In the accomplishment of this object the inventor has combined a spoon structure of improved form, with a flexible sheet which has a novel arrangement of extensions and is attached and related to the spoon in a novel manner.

More particularly, it has been the object to provide a lure of this type in which flexible or trailing extensions loosely stream out or dangle from the spoon and are sufliciently free in action to present a Wiggly mass of feelers or legs, the appearance of which has been found to be most attractive to game fish.

Further objects of the inventor relate to the manner of attach ng and correlating the parts as well as the structure of the spoon itself wherein its action in the water is more efficient, that is, whereby it will not tend to revolve but will keep on an even keel while taking a sinuous path through water.

Figure 1 is the top plan view illustrating the improved artificial bait.

Figure 2 is the side view further illustrating the bait.

Figure 3 is the sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 1, illustrating the attachment of the flexible element to the spoon element.

Figure 4 is the plan view showing the cut blank from which the flexible element is manufactured, this view illustrating the strips of the flexible element at the time of cutting.

Figure 5 is the sectional view taken on line 55, Figure 2, illustrating the tranverse section of the bait.

Referring to the drawings, the spoon element is indicated at 5. This element which constitutes the body of the bait is formed of plate stock and comprises a spoonlike portion 6 which is arcuate both transversely and longitudinally. This body element is not truly semi-circular but rather the t! side-wall portions 1 turn upwardly and are substantially at right angles to the central portion of the bottom of the spoon.

The body further includes a fiat, forwardly, upwardly-extended portion 8. This portion is a continuation of the longitudinal curvature oi: the body and is tangential thereto. The fiat portion includes an aperture 9 through which the line or towing means is. attached. By virtue of the curvature, above described, the body element of the bait will tend to ride on top of the Water if retrieved rapidly. The fisherman can keep the lure at any desired depth by varying slightly the pull thereon as the bait is drawn through the water. The substantially vertically-disposed sides aid greatly in maintaining the bait on an even keel by preventing it from turning or rotating in the water. Further, the bait will tend to have a swinging or sinuous motion which will aid greatly in its attractiveness to the fish as will be apparent from the further description.

Centrally, at the bottom of the spoon a screwthreaded aperture H) is provided. The eyelet end ll of the hook I2 is attached to the plate by means of a screw 13, passed through the eyelet, and screw-threaded into the aperture. The shank M of the hook passes through an aperture [5 in the upwardly-turned rear end it of the spoon. Normally while in use, this shank portion lies in a horizontal plane, the hook projecting from the rear of the spoon. A conventional weed-guard element ll is secured beneath the eyelet and has its projections disposed in the usual manner with respect to the hook proper.

As stated, a rubber skirt or a skirt made of some flexible material is associated with the spoon in order to provide an appearance attractive to the fish. As illustrated in Figure 4, this element is cut from sheet stock and is generally indicated at l8. It includes a body portion [9, lateral strip portions 26, and rearwardlyextended strip portions 2 l. When out from stock, the plurality of strips 26) which are angular laterally lie in parallelism. The rearward strips 2| are in groups, there being two slightly laterally-disposed ones at each side and four central ones.

The illustration of Figure 4 shows the distribution of the strips when the stock is flat, i. e., at the time of cutting. However, when placed on the spoon and left without support other than that for the central-portion i 9, the strips become extremely flexible and Wiggly. The arrangement of strips depicted is not designed to represent any particular form of marine life but, in gen- 7 ances, depending upon the speed with which they are drawn through the water. Any movement of the bait through the water will cause waving 5 or wiggling of the strips and will impart a lifelike or animated appearance.

This sheet of flexible material. thus prepared is attached to the spoon in the following manner: The ferepart of the body portion includes l0 an aperture -ZZJ The screw [3 pas'ses-throughii this aperture and thus the body 19 is secured beneath the eyelet upon the central portion of the spoon. Immediately to the rear of this aperture is another aperture 23. The shank of the"15 hook passes through the lastenamed =aperturee- Thus, all of the sinuous or Wiggly strips dangle over the edge of the spoon and streamout laterally and rearwardly to produce the effect heretofolfe described. The hook is disposed Within 0 the group of rearward strips 2|. 7 w I 'As stated, no attemptis made to 'prod'ucethe a eararree of any particular "marine life "but rather the effect is that of a multiplicity of legs? or feelers" around 'tnerearpbrtion of the spoon.

Having described my invention, I claim-:

1. A fishing'lurecompiisingfa body meorpb; 5 rating s'po'o'n' portion "having a central "portion anda flat" upt'vardly inclined forward portioiif said "spoon portion iiiclui'lihg"sides"which are sub 3 stantially'at right'angles to thetentrarptrtiefi of the spoon, a hook "seciired'to thecentra'l p'oftion of the spoon', the hookhaving'a 'sharikpro jecting rearward'ly frofm'the" 'spoo'n'fthrough an aperturetherein, and'a sheet'of flexible niaterial355 having a body'portion securedoh the top surfab T of the spoon" said body" portionbeing'damped betweenthe shankof the hook and the top sur face""of "the spoon" and hatingan intermediate portion throughwhich thesha'nkbf the hook ex L0 tendsand a'r'ea'r'ward portion disposedlabo've'th' shank of the hook; "the rearward portion meme-1 ing a multiplicity oi extensions disposed laterally and rearwardly from the' spoon, sai'dlfextensioris being" extieh'lely fiimsys'o that' thyftend" to streaih eut and wiggle as the bait is moved through thawa'teri v V 2. A fishinglure-comprising,a s'poorif'a hook includingashank securedat ttvos'palbed points to th spoon andpro'jecting 'rearw'ardly"there'="" fronifand' a sheet'of flexible material havinga T body'port'i'ondisposed' in clamped engagement betweehthe shank of thefhook and the top'surface'of the "spoon'and' including a multiplicity of extensions disposed laterally and 'rearwardly froni the "spoonls'aid extensions being extremely flimsyjlso that theyten'dto stream out andwiggl'ef as the bait is moved througliithewatr';"

3. A fishing l'ure comprising; a body'incorp'drating a spoon portion anda fiat "u wardlyim cline'd' forward portionf'a hook -secured "to the central portion of the spoon and projecting rearwardly through an aperture in the spoon portion, and a sheet of extremely flexible material having a body portion disposed in clamped. engagement between the hook and the top surface of the spoon and including a multiplicity of thin extensions disposed laterally and rearwardly from the spoon,said extensions being extremely flimsy so that they tend to stream out as the bait is moved thr'ouglt:the'watert f. i V

4. A- fisl'fingilure homprisinglgi a spoon a. skirt formed of thin pliable'sheet material slitted to. prdvide a body portionand a plurality of rearwardly extending strips, a hook element constitutili'ga shank having an eye at one end and a hook at the--opposite end, said shank overlying the body portion of the skirt with a rearward strips.

5. A fisliirigflure'compr is n'gra concave spoon,"-"'. a skirt formed of fiatfiplitbl? sheet; inaterial Z."- slitttift'o provid'ebodyportion and-a" plurality of rearward'ly and'iaterailyextefidingrstripsifa hook element constitutingashankhai ingah e'ye' at oneiencrenda nooknt thefoppositeiend, said shankbyerlyiiig'the' body portion of "the'"'skir'tif l witwa resrwa'ru'portiefipr the "ShahR fiaSsinQT" through'saidbbdyportiorfiandthrdugh'an apelturerermeuiri the spoonte anchorth'shahkto the "spo'onp'a screw passing vthreugutheeye of If the hook "and" ihtof'thfaded" "engagement V the sperm to draw'thesnahkdntd damping ens:-

gagement with the bodyportionof theskirtjthe. CIampinapOrtrcn er s'ai'd'f shank beinglocated substantially in thbenterof the'fconcav'e spo'o'n"'" to nest the tody portrait or the skir'tdntd the 

